Natasha RichardsonNatasha Richardson, a distinguished film, television and stage actress and third-generation member of the Redgrave acting dynasty, has died at the age of 45 after suffering head injuries in a ski accident.

The actress’s death was confirmed Wednesday in a written statement from Alan Nierob, the Los Angeles-based publicist for Richardson’s actor-husband Liam Neeson.

“Liam Neeson, his sons, and the entire family are shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Natasha,” the statement said. “They are profoundly grateful for the support, love and prayers of everyone, and ask for privacy during this very difficult time.”

The cause of death was not announced, but Richardson was injured Monday after falling on a beginners slope at Mont Tremblant Ski Resort. She initially reported she was fine, but an hour later she said she was not feeling well and had a headache.

Richardson was taken to a local hospital before being transferred to Hopital du Sacre-Coeur in Montreal. She was then transferred to Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, where her family, including her two young sons with Neeson, gathered.

Richardson was born in London on May 11, 1963, into one of the world’s great acting families. Her grandfather was famed British actor Sir Michael Redgrave, while her parents are Oscar-winning actress Vanessa Redgrave and the late director Tony Richardson. Her uncle Corin Redgrave, aunt Lynn Redgrave, and sister Joely Richardson are also well-known performers.

Over the course of a 25-year career, Richardson revealed her own talents as an actress, winning a Tony Award for a 1998 revival of the musical “Cabaret” and showing her versatility with starring roles in a variety of film, television and stage productions.  These ranged from the 1990 film adaptation of “The Handmaid’s Tale” and the 1998 Disney remake of “The Parent Trap” to 2005’s Broadway revival of Tennessee Williams’s “A Streetcar Named Desire,” in which she played Blanche Du Bois.

This past January, she shared the stage with her mother for a one-night benefit performance of Stephen Sondheim’s “A Little Night Music.”  Talks were underway to turn the show into a full Broadway production.






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